PSU Mens Soccer begins season this weekend at the Nazareth Tournament

Aug 30, 2005

PLYMOUTH, N.H.

- The Plymouth State University men's soccer team will visit an
old friend this weekend for a season-opening tournament - the Doug
May Classic at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y.

The Panthers, led by fourth-year head coach Rob
Wright(right), will face the Rochester Institute
of Technology Saturday (Sept. 3) at 3:30 p.m. in the second game of
the tourney, following the Nazareth-Allegheny College clash. PSU
will meet host Nazareth Sunday (Sept. 4) at 1:00 p.m., with RIT and
Allegheny wrapping things up Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

Nazareth is guided by second-year head coach Danny
Gilbertson, a 1999 Plymouth State grad and former
four-year starter and three-time First Team All-Little East
Conference pick for the Panthers.

PSU, which plays six of its first seven games on the road, makes
its home debut at Panther Field on Wednesday, Sept. 7, against
Gordon College (4:00 p.m.)

The Panthers will play a 17-game regular season schedule,
including seven Little East Conference contests. The annual LEC
Tournament is on tap for the first week of November, with the
champion receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III
Tournament.

Plymouth State, which shared the 2003 LEC regular season title,
is seeking its first LEC Tournament championship since 2000.

2005 PSU Men's Soccer Outlook

PSU will have to avoid the injuries and inconsistency that hampered
the team last season, when it finished 9-8-1 overall and 4-3 in
conference play. The Panthers will also be looking for a
third straight trip to the post season, and 11th in the last 13
years. PSU gave top-seeded MIT a fight in last year's ECAC
Tournament, losing 1-0 in a close game.

"We finished the season strong against MIT," said Wright, "and we
hope to build on that performance."

PSU will rely on a powerful defense to hold off opponents, led by
junior Bryan Biederman (Holderness, N.H.), senior
Steve Libera (Cromwell, Conn.) and sophomore
Matt Verrecchia (South Kingstown, R.I./The Prout
School). Biederman is a returning All-LEC First Team
selection; Libera was an All-LEC defender in 2003 before struggling
with injuries last season; and Verrecchia took over as starter
midway through his freshman year.

"Any of those three could start for any team in the LEC," says
Wright. "They give us an excellent base to build around."

Senior Steve Balgach (Fairfield, Conn.), a Second
Team All-Conference pick last year, can play both defense and
midfield well and will be a factor. Sophomore Greg
Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./ Carmel) has proven himself on
defense, and junior Steve Martus (Wilton, N.H.)
could also see playing time. Wright says a newcomer or two
could also emerge.

The question mark on defense, according to Wright, is in
goal. There are no returning keepers, so the Panthers will be
relying on freshmen. "We feel comfortable with the guys we
have coming in."

Wright says this year's team will be a more offensive unit.
"We have such a strong defense that we can afford to play with a
more attacking mentality."

Balgach and sophomore Seth Desjardins (Wakefield, N.H./Spaulding),
the team's Rookie of the Year, are the top returning
midfielders. Improved senior captain Chris
Catatao (Burlington, Mass.) could be a factor, as well as
the return of senior Matt Albert (Charlton,
N.Y./Burnt Hills), who sat out all of last season. Junior
Dustin Moya (Thornton, Co./Horizon) and sophomore
Jamal Luttamaguzi (Stockholm, Sweden) should also
see playing time.

Junior Felix Rosen (Stockholm, Sweden) leads the
cast of forwards. He was a Second Team All-LEC selection in
2003 and has led the Panthers in scoring the past two seasons with
seven goals each year. Sophomore Takeru
Tanikawa (Shizuoka, Japan/Tilton Prep (N.H.) began to
blossom after recovering from injuries last year and could be a
factor, and sophomores Justin Flanagan (Hingham,
Mass.) and Alex Marin (Manchester, NH/Memorial)
add depth.

"We have some of the best players in the league, and one of the
strongest defenses in New England," says Wright. "If we don't
get the same injuries we had last year, things will be more
consistent in who's playing and that will be a key factor.
It's very realistic that we could win our conference."